Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over Michigan State

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 25, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (13) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Michigan State Spartansat State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (13) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Michigan State Spartansat State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
Illinois basketball
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 25: Fans sitting in the Illinois Fighting Illini student section hold up a newspaper with “GET WELL SOON, DICKIE V!” on the front page during the player introductions before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Center on January 25, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

In a shocker, the Illinois basketball team was able to defeat No. 10 Michigan State on Tuesday night.

I would argue that this is Brad Underwood’s most impressive win as the coach of the Illini. We were missing two key players and still took down the No. 10 team in the nation. That is a great resume builder for March as well.

It was not an easy victory for the Orange and Blue, though. Illinois had a 14-point halftime lead, but that advantage dwindled little by little in the second half. Michigan State would have a chance to tie it at the end with free throws, but they couldn’t convert. Illinois would end up winning the game, 56-55.

Here are five observations from the Illinois basketball win over Michigan State.

1. Extra mojo in the house

What a huge win for Illinois on Tuesday night. Coming into the Michigan State game, no one was sure if All-American Kofi Cockburn was going to suit up.

Just hours before the game actually started, it was announced that Kofi was going to miss his second game in a row with concussion symptoms stemming from the Purdue game. This put the Illini a big man down, literally and figuratively. Kofi is the centerpiece of this Illini program.

But Brad Underwood and the Illini coaching staff didn’t just have to deal with replacing Kofi on Tuesday night. Just minutes before the game started, it was announced the Illini would be without star point guard, Andre Curbelo, due to health and safety protocols.

Illinois was missing the best center in the country and who many considered one of the best point guards in the country in the preseason against No. 10 Michigan State. That is a lot to handle with such a shorthanded squad.

How could Illinois manage to pull out a victory? Well, obviously, there was some extra mojo in the State Farm Center on Tuesday night. Was it Ayo Dosunmu coming back down from Chicago to catch his Illini, or were there a couple of other people in the house to give the program a boost?

Either way, there was definitely some extra mojo the Illini played with against Michigan State. Without that mojo, that extra spunk, I am not sure we end up winning this game.

Home/Illinois Basketball